a long-lasting immunity that results from stimulating the body to produce its own antibodies; developed either naturally, in response to an infection, or artificially, in response to the administation of a vaccine

agranulocytes

a group of leukocytes without granules in their nuclei

anemia

a condition of reduced numbers of red blood cells, hemoglobin, or packed red cells in the blood, resulting in a dimished ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen to the tissues

aniocytosis

presence of red blood cells of unequal size (an = not, iso = equal)

antibody

a substance produced by the body that destroys or inactivates an antigen that has entered the body

anticoagulent

a drug that prevents clotting of the blood

antigen

a substance that, when introduced into the body, causes the formation of antibodies against it

aplastic anemia

a normocytic-normochromic type of anemia characterized by the failure of bone marrow to produce red blood cells

autoimmune disease

any disorder characterized by abnormal function of the immune system that causes the body to produce antibodies against itself, resulting in tissue destruction or loss of function; rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are examples of autoimmune disease (auto =

autologous blood

blood donated by and stored for a patient for future personal use (eg. upcoming surgery)

basic metabolic panel (BMP)

battery of tests used as a general screen for disease; includes tests for calcium, carbon dioxide (CO2), chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

basophil

a granular leukocyte, named for the dark stain of its granules, that brings anticoagulant substances to inflamed tissues (baso = base; phil = attraction for)

blast/o

germ or bud

blood chemistry

test of the fluid portion of blood to measure the amounts of its chemical constituents (eg. glucose and cholesterol)

blood chemistry panels

specialized batteries of automated blood chemistry tests performed on a single sample of blood; used as a general screen for disease or to target specific organs or conditions (eg. metabolic panel, lipid panel, and arthritis panel)

blood component therapy

transfusion of a specific blood component, such as packed red blood cells, platelets, or plasma

blood culture

test to determine if infection is present in the bloodstream by isolating a specimen of blood in an environment that encourages the growth of microorganisms; the specimen is observed, and the organisms that grow in the culture are identified

blood indices

calculations of RBC, HGB, and HCT results to determine the average size, hemoglobin concentration, and content of red blood cells to classify an anemia

blood transfusion

introduction of blood products into the circulation of a recipient whose blood volume is reduced or deficient in some manner

bone marrow aspiration

needle aspiration of bone marrow tissue for pathologic examination

bone marrow biopsy

pathologic examination of bone marrow tissue

bone marrow transplant

transplantation of healthy bone marrow from a compatible donor to a diseased recipient to stimulate blood cell production

CD4 cell count

a measure of the number of CD4 cells (a subset of T lymphocytes) in the blood; used in monitoring the course of HIV and in timing the treatment of AIDS; the normal adult range is 600-1500 cells in a given volume of blood

chemotherapy

treatment of malignancies, infections, and other diseases with chemical agents to destroy selected cells or to impair their ability to reproduce

chrom/o, chromat/o

color

chyl/o

juice

chyle

white or pale yellow substance in lymph that contains fatty substances absorbed by the lacteals

complete blood count (CBC)

a common laboratory blood test performed as a screen of general health or for diagnostic purposes and typically includes the component tests that follow; test results are usually reported along with normal values so that the clinician can interpret the re

full body x-ray CT images are used to detect tumors and cancers such as lymphoma

cross-matching

method of matching a donor's blood to the recipient by mixing a sample in a test tube to determine compatibility

cyt/o

cell

differential count

determination of the number of each type of white blood cell (leukocyte) in a stained blood smear; each type is counted and reported as a percentage of the total examined
lymphocytes: 25-33%; monocytes: 3-7%; neutrophils: 54-75%; eosinophils: 1-3%; ba

eosinophil

a granular leukcyte, named for the rose-colored stain of its granules, that increases in allergic and some infectious reactions (eos = dawn-colored; phil = attraction for)

erythroblastosis fetalis

a disorder that results from the incompatibility of a fetus with Rh-positive blood and a mother with Rh-negative blood, causing red blood cell destruction in the fetus; a blood transfusion is necessary to save the fetus

erythrocyte

red blood cell; trasnports oxygen and carbon dioxide

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

timed test that measures the rate at which red blood cells settle through a volume of plasma

erythropenia

an abnormally reduced number of red blood cells

granulocytes

a group of leukocytes containing granules in their cytoplasm

hem/o, hemat/o

blood

hematocrit (HCT or Hct)

a measurement of the percentage of packed red blood cells in a given volume of blood

hemochromatosis

hereditary disorder with an excessive buildup of iron deposits in the body

hemoglobin

the protein-iron compound in erythrocytes that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide

hemoglobin (HGB or Hgb)

a test to determine the blood level of hemoglobin (expressed in grams)

hemolysis

breakdown of the red blood cell membrane

hemophilia

a group of hereditary bleeding disorders caused by a defect in clotting factors necessary for the coagulation of blood

hemostatic

a drug that stops the flow of blood within the vessels

homologous blood

blood voluntarily donated by any person for tranfusion to a compatible recipient

immun/o

safe

immunity

process of disease protection induced by exposure to an antigen

immunocompromised

impaired immunologic defenses caused by an immunodeficiency disorder or by therapy with immunosuppressive agents

immunosuppression

impaired ability to provide an immune response

immunotherapy

use of biologic agents to prevent or treat disease by stimulating the body's own defense mechanisms, as seen in the treatment of AIDS, cancer, or allergy

iron deficiency anemia

a microcytic-hypochromic type of anemia characterized by a lack of iron that affects the production of hemoglobin and is characterized by small red blood cells containing low amounts of hemoglobin

lacteals

specialized lymph vessels in the small intestine that absorb fat into the bloodstream (lacteus = milky)

leukemia

chronic or acute malignant(cancerous) disease of the blood-forming organs, characterized by abnormal leukocytes in the blood and bone marrow

leukocyte

white blood cell; protects the body from harmful invading substances

lymph

fluid that is circulated through the lymph vessels

lymph capillaries

microscopic vessels that draw lymph from tissues to the lymph vessels

lymph ducts

collecting channels that carry lymph from the lumph nodes to the veins

condition caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and characterized by an increase in mononuclear cells (monocytes and lymphocytes) in the blood along with enlarged lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), fatigue, and sore throat (pharyngitis)

morph/o

form

myel/o

bone marrow or spinal cord

myelodysplasia

disorder within the bone marrow characterized by a proliferation of abnormal stem cells (cells that give rise to different types of blood cells); usually develops into a specific type of leukemia

neutropenia

a decreased number of neutrophils

neutrophil

a granular leukocyte, named for the neutral stain of its granules, that fights infection by swallowing bacteria (phagocytosis) (neutr = neither; phil = attraction for)

pancytopenia

an abnormally reduced number of all cellular components in the blood

partial thromboplastin time (PTT)

test to determine coagulation defects, such as platelet disorders

passive immunity

a short-lasting immunity that results from foreign antibodies that are conveyed either naturally, through the placenta to a fetus, or artificially, by injection of a serum containing antibodies

pernicious anemia

a macroytic-normochromic type of anemia characterized by an inadequate supply of vitamin B12, causing red blood cells to become large, varied in shape, and reduced in number

removal of plasma from the body with separation and extraction of specific elements (eg. platelets) followed by reinfusion (apheresis = a withdrawl)

platelet count (PLT)

calculation of the number of thrombocytes in the blood; the normal adult range is 150,000-450,000 platelets in a given volume of blood

platelets

thrombocytes; cell fragments in the blood that are essential for blood clotting (coagulation)

poikilocytosis

presence of large, irregularly shaped red blood cells

polycythemia

increased number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the blood

polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte

another term for neutrophil, referring to the many segments in its neucleus (poly = many, morpho = form, nucleus = kernel)

positron-emission tomography (PET)

scanning technique combining nuclear medicine and computed tomography technology to produce images of anatomy and metabolic function within the body; useful in determining the recurrence of cancers or to measure response to therapy ; commonly used in eval

prothrombin

protein substance in the blood that is essential to the clotting process

prothrombin time (PT)

test to measure activity of prothrombin in the blood

red blood count (RBC)

a count of the number of red blood cells in a given volume of blood obtained via manuel or automated laboratory methods

red cell morphology

as part of identifying and counting the white blood cells, the condition, size, and shape of red blood cells in the background of the smeared slide are noted (eg. anisocytosis, poikilocytosis)

reticul/o

a net

reticulocytosis

an increased number of immature erythrocytes in the blood

Rh factor

presence or lack of antigens on the surface of red blood cells, which causes a reaction between Rh-positive blood and Rh-negative blood

Rh negative

absence of antigens

Rh positive

presence of antigens

right lymphatic duct

receives lymph from the right upper part of the body

septicemia

systemic disease caused by infection with microorganisms and their toxins in circulating blood

serum

liquid portion of the blood that remains after clotting

spleen

organ between the stomach and the diaphragm that filters out aging blood cells, removes cellular debris by performing phagocytosis, and provides an environment for lymphocytes to initiate immune responses

splen/o

spleen

splenectomy

removal of the spleen

splenomegaly

enlargement of the spleen

thoracic duct

receives lymph from the left side of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, left arm, and lower extermities

thromb/o

clot

thrombocytopenia

an abnormally decreased number of platelets in the blood, impairing the clotting process

thromboplastin

substance present in tissues, platelets, and leukocytes that is necessary for coagulation

thym/o

thymus gland

thymectomy

removal of the thymus gland

thymus

primary gland of the lymphatic system, located within the mediastinum, that helps to maintain the body's immune response by producing T lymphocytes

vasoconstrictor

a drug that causes a narrowing of blood vessels, thereby decreasing blood flow